Refrigeration apparatus



April 7, 1931- Y E. T WILLIAMS 1,799,940

REFRIGERATION APPARATUS I Filed July 31 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PatentedApr. 7, 1931 UNITED STATES EDWARD .l. WILLIAMS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORKREFRIGERATION APPARATUS Application filed July 31, 1926. Serial No.126,173.

This invention relates to refrigeration apparatus and has among itsobjects the object of producing a complete and compact refrigerationapparatus characterized by eflicient design and the interrelation of itsconstituent parts'or units whereby the'entire apparatus 1s admirablyadaptable for domestic use.

Another object of this invention is to produce a unitary assembly inwhich certain sub-units or parts of a refrigeration system are sorelated in respect to each other as to enable the ready removal thereoffrom a refrigeration cabinet or building in an assem bled condition.

These general objects embody a unique relation of amotor-blower-compressor unit with a condenser. The housing of the bloweris mounted upon the condenser in such a manner as to permit of thedischarge of air from the blower through the condenser. On one side ofthe blower housing is mounted a motor so arranged as to drive directlythe shaft of the blower and the shaft of the compressor which is mountedon the other side of the blower housing. The shafts are substantiallyco-axial and the motor and compressor tend to compensate for each otherin respect to their mounting, the blower housing, which is secured tothe top of the condenser.

As a part of the unitary idea, and interrelated therewith, there residesthe purpose of improving the efliciency of the refrigeration system bypositioning a coil carrying the compressed refrigerant as it passes fromone stage of a multi-stage compressor to another,

stage inthe path of the current of air created by the same blower whichdelivers air to the condenser.

Other and more detailed objects will be pointed out hereinafter in thefollowing description and claims, and an embodiment of my invention isillustrated in the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a general elevation on line II of Fig. 2,

Fig. 2 shows a side elevation on line IIII of Fig 1,

Fig. 3 shows an elevation of the motorblow-compressor unit mounted uponthe condenser, and

Fig. 4: is a view on line IV-IV of Fig. 3.

The refrigerating cabinet or building 10 with which I have illustratedmy invention is of a simple construction and comprises, in general, acold air compartment 11 and a machine compartment 12. The cold aircompartment may be of any well-known construction.

The machine compartment has a plurality of side walls 13 in which aredisposed louvres 14 through which air may be drawn into thecom-partment. The floor or lower wall 15 of the machine compartment issupported away from the floor upon which the entire cabinet rests and ithas a hole defined by edges 16. The present design of the hole isrectangular for the purpose of accommodating the casing 17 of condensercoils 18 which are positioned outside of the machine comparta ment. Thecondenser casing 17 is maintained in its position by flanges 19 whichextend from the casing and over the ed es 16 of lower wall 15. makes useof the top of the condenser casing as a portion of the floor of themachine compartment and also permits the easy removal of the condenserfrom the machine compart- The arrangement ust described ment through aconveniently located door 20.

p In order to simplify the description of my invention I have chosen toillustrate a simple refrigeration system in which all of the varioussub-units, with the exception of the chilling tank 21, may be mountedwithin the ma- 35 chine compartment and upon the condenser casing,thereby enabling all of these sub-units to be conveniently inspected andoverhauled at will without the necessity of disconnecting one sub-unitfrom another. Mounted upon the central part of the condenser casing 17is a blower housing 22 which is secured by suitable means such asmachine screws 23 to the casing. On one side of the blower housing 22there is mounted a motor 24 to whose shaft 25 there is secured acentrifugal type of blower 26. In addition to driving the blower, themotor also drives a compressor 27 mounted on a hollow hub 28 extendingfrom the blower housing on the side opposite that to which the motor ismounted. This hollow hub 28 has inlet openings 28a through which air isdrawn into the inner portions of the hub and of the blower casing by therevolving blower. The air propelled by the blower is driven, laterallyof the axis of the blower, from the blower housing through outletopening 29 which communicates with an inlet opening 30 in the condensercasing. After passing through this opening the moving air circulatesabout the coil within the condenser and then is discharged from the ends31 and 32 of the condenser casing.

In the present form of condenser, the inlet opening is placedintermediate the ends 31 and 32 of the condenser casing in order thatthe air discharged by the blower be efficiently utilized in serving itspurpose of absorbing heat from the conduits of the condenser.

The compressed fluid discharged from the compressor is conducted, by aconduit 33, to a separator 34 from which the lubricant is drawn to thelow pressure side of the first stage compression cylinder throughconduit 35.

The refrigerant is conducted from the separator by two branch conduits36, 37 which enter within the casing 17 of the condenser near its ends.Within the condenser casing, the conduits may travel back and forthacross the condenser forming coils 18, hereinbefore referred to, whichterminate in a single conduct 38. The exact arrangement of the coils orthe style of condenser used may conform to the ideas of a user withoutcreating a departure from my invention.

Conduit 38 communicates with a regulating device 39, such as the usualfloat valve, from which the refrigerantis delivered to the expansionchamber within the chilling tank 21 by conduit 40. From the chillingtank, conduit 41 conducts the refrigerant back to the low pressure sideof the first stage compression cylinder of the compressor. Othersubunits besides the motor-blower-compressor and separator units may bemounted upon the condenser casing, if desired, and I have illustratedthe regulating device 39 in dotted outline so as to indicate this fact.

Conduit 42 serves to connect the high pressure side of the first stagecompression cylinder with the low-pressure side of the second stagecompression cylinder and a portion of 65 this conduit is coiled aboutthe hollow hub 28 extending from the blower housing to which it issecured by brackets 43. The turns in the conduit are so positioned as topermit the free motion of air about them as air is drawn through inletopening 28 by the blower within the blower housing.

By the arrangement which I have described, all of the air entering intothe machine compartment is kept in continuous movement and is eventuallyevacuated therefrom through the blower housing and the condenser. Thefresh air which enters through louvres 14 is dispersed throughout themachine compartment and achieves a relatively high velocity as itapproaches the compressor 27 and flows about the turns of conduit 42just outside of the air inlet openings 28 leading to the blower housing.This air is discharged from beneath the refrigerator, laterally and awaytherefrom, after having been passed through the condenser casing 17.

I claim:

1. Refrigeration apparatus comprising, in combination, a cabinet havinga refrigeration compartment and a machine compartment, a condensercasing constituting an air duct extending through an opening in a wallof said machine compartment, a blower within said machine compartmentmounted on said casing and having a passage formed therein,

and a "condenser in said casing outside said machine compartment, saidpassage connecting said blower with said condenser casing whereby air isevacuated from said machine compartment and through said condensercaslng.

2. Refrigeration apparatus comprising, in combination, a cabinet havinga refrigeration compartment and a machine compartment, a condensercasing having a portion serving as a portion of a wall of said machinecompartment, a condenser in said casing disposed outside of said machinecompartment, and draft producing means mounted upon said portion of saidcondenser casing and adapted to dis charge air out of said machinecompartment through said condenser casing.

3. Refrigeration apparatus comprising, in combination, a condensercasing, a blower housing mounted thereon, a motor secured to said blowerhousing, and a compressor secured to said blower housing, the blower andthe compressor being adapted to be driven by said motor.

4. Refrigeration apparatus comprising, in combination, a condensercasing, a blower having a blower housing mounted upon said condensercasing and adapted to deliver air thereto at substantially right anglesto the axis of said blower, a motor mounted on the side of said blowerhousing for driving the blower, and a compressor mounted upon saidblower housing in alignment with said blower and driven by said motor.

5. Refrigeration apparatus comprising, in

combinatlon, a condenser casin said condenser casing, a blower housinghav- 111g an air inlet communicating with th atmosphere, amultiple-stage compressor mounted on said blower housing and con nectedto said condenser, and a co i1 con tmg the arge port of one stage ofsaid compressor with the intake port of another stage of sa1dcompressor, said coil being disposed in proximity to the air inlet insaid blower housing whereby the air driven thrlough said blower housingflows about said CO1 6. Refrigeration apparatus comprising, incombination, a condenser casing having air inlet and outlet openings, acondenser therein, a blower housing having air inlet and outletopenings, the outlet opening of said blower as housing communicatingwith the inlet opening of said condenser casing, a multiple-stagecompressor havin connections with said condenser, and a re rigerantcarrying conduit connecting the discharge port of one stage of 5 saidcompressor with the intake port of another stage of said compressor,said conduit being disposed in proximity to the inlet openings of saidblower housing.

7. A refrigerator comprismg a cablnet an having a substantially enclosedmachine compartment, a horizontally extending base for supportingmachinery within said compartment forming the bottom wall of saidcompartment, said base having an opening as for permitting the passageof air, a duct formed on the under side of said base, draft producingmeans mounted on said base over said opening, said draft producing meansservin to circulate air in said compartment 4m and through the openingin said base, a motor mounted on said draft producing means at one side,a compressor mounted on said draft producing means at the opposite sideand a condenser within said duct.

8. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet having a machine compartment, ahorizon tally extending base for supporting machinery within saidcompartment forming the bottom wall of said compartment, said as basehaving an opening, a duct formed on the under side of said base, ablower mounted on said base over said opening, a motor supported by andon one side of said blower,

a compressor supported by and on the opposite side of said blower, saidmotor, blower and compressor being axially aligned and aK condenserwithin said duct.

9. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet having a lower machinecompartment, a bottom wall for said compartment arranged above the levelor floor upon which the cabinetis made to rest forming a space undersaid machine compartment, a compressor and a. motor in sald compartment,a contfi denser in said space and means for evacuatg, a condenser mg airfrom said com artment and causing therein abloweradt W100 driyeairthrou11 WW W cool said condenser.

19. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet having a machme compartment, aboxshape cas lng forming an air duct disposed outside said compartment,one side of said caslng formlng a part of a wall of said compartment, ap urality of air outlets for said duct, a central air inletfor saidduct, a motor and a compressor in said compartment, a condenser in saidduct outside said compartment and means in said compartment for(fiorctmg air through said air inlet into said 11. A refrigeratorcomprisin a machine compartment, a box-shaped casing forming an air ductdisposed outside said compartment, a side of said casing forming a wallportion of said compartment, draft producing means in said compartmentmounted on said side of said casing, means including an opening throughsaid wall portion to conduct air from said compartment into said ductand a condenser in said duct.

12. A refrigerator comprisin a machine compartment, a box-shaped casingforming an air duct disposed outside said compartment, a side of saidcasing having anopening therein and forming a wall portion of saidcompartment, a blower mounted on said wall portion and adapted to directair from said compartment into said duct through said opening and acondenser in said duct.

13. Refrigeration apparatus comprising, in combination, a condensingmeans, a blower, a blower housing enclosing said blower and mounted uonsaid condensing means, a motor secure on one side of said blowerhousing and supported thereby, a compressor secured to the other side ofsaid blower and supported thereby, the motor, blower and compressorbeing arranged coaxially on a horizontal axis.

14. A refrigerator comprising a machine compartment, a condenser casingmounted adjacent said machine compartment, the upper side of saidcondenser casing forming a base, a blower housin mounted on said base, ablower within said blower housing arranged to rotate about a horizontalaxis, a motor secured to one side of said blower housing and supportedthereby, a compressor securedto the other side of said blower housingand supported thereby, said motor and compressor being in axialalignment with said blower and a communication at the bottom of saidblower housing for the discharge of air from said blower into saidcasing.

, 15. Refrigeration apparatus comprising, in combination, a condensercasing, a condenser therein, draft producing means mounted on saidcasing having connections with said condenser casing, a multiple stage

